Wednesday, October 23, 2013

With The Walking Dead TV Show getting more popular then ever, i am somewhat surprised how many of the rabid TV Fans have not read the comic. As good as the TV Show is (and it's real good), the book is just SO much better IMO. it is not restricted by AMC restrictions, or the restrictions of TV itself.

i have written up a summary of which ways someone that is new to the book can get started and/or caught up on the book:

Floppies/Monthlies: Starting in October of 2003, Image Comics released The Walking Dead as a monthly release (meaning that it was released one a month, and it has pretty much remained true to that format for each month since then for the last 10 years.) The floppies feature full color covers, and after each issue a Letters Column where fans write in and discuss/ask questions about the book. Some floppies also feature sneak
previews of future Image comics. These issues, while meant to be read, are also highly collectible, making this the most costly way to read the series. There are currently 156 floppies. There is no "end point" in sight, and i'd expect it to go at least 300 issues.
Cover price is $2.99

Trades/Trade Paper Backs/TPB : These are released about every six months. Each TPB contains six floppies. There are no covers or Letter Sections included, and the individual issues are not separated, it reads straight through. There are no bonus materials included. There are currently 25 TPBs of TWD.
Cover Price is $14.99

Hard Cover Trades/HC : The Hard Cover Trades consist of 12 floppies, with the pages being literally a larger format. Essentially, each Hard Cover contains two TPB's. There are bonus materials included including a collection of the covers in the back of the HC. The Letter Section is not included, and the individual issues are not separated, it reads straight through. There are currently 12 HC Collections.
Cover Price is $34.99

Omnibus/Oversized Deluxe : These collections contain 24 floppies each, or four TPBs/Two HC. These pages are even larger then the HC, and comes with a slip case. Packaging overall is Very Well done. There are bonus materials included. There are currently 5 Omnibus'
Cover Price is $99.99

Compendium : These Collections contain 48 floppies each, or Eight TPB/Four HC/Two Omnibus' The pages are the same size as the floppies and the TPB. There are no special features in the Compendiums, strictly 48 floppies from first page to last. Since these contain 48 floppies, they tend to take years to come out between releases, 48 floppies is 4 years of monthly releases, so its a safe bet (there is nothing set in stone) that a
Compendium will come out every few years. UPDATE! Volume 3 is OUT NOW!
Cover price on these is $64.99

i am a monthly floppy reader, have been since issue 98 i think it was. i know some people that wait for the TPB to come out, but i have no idea how they have that kind of will power! LOL

When re-reading, i prefer the Hard Cover Trades/HC format. i feel it is just the right right size when held in my hand, the increased page size is nice, and since its a hard cover, it is just an over all better experience imo.

The most economical way to read TWD would be The Compendiums, but keep in mind that these are HEAVY! i think they weigh about 7 pounds each.

Like anything else, do not be afraid to shop around for the best price you can find.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. i can literally talk about TWD all day.

This is an independent monthly comic book released by Dark Horse Comics that you probably have never heard of.

it is 24 pages of STORY. there are NO ADVERTS within the front and back covers. Any ads that are there are there to advance the story, and/or items related to the story.

i will not tell you what the story is about, because i want you to experience it for yourself. i will say that for the most part, it is most likely unlike anything else you've ever read when it comes to comic books. That is especially true if you are strictly a "Big Two" reader, and more-so if you are all about the superheroes (not that there is anything wrong with that)

Matt Kindt writes, draws, colors and letters this book. That's correct, he does everything that you see when you read Mind MGMT (pronounced Management). Not only does he color it, but it is colored using water-coloring, pure awesomeness!

Now, his style may not be for everyone, but i for one, love it. i have so much respect for the fact that he creates all aspects of this book. That is a pretty rare feat in todays comic book world.

There are three trades out so far, which cover the first 18 issues (plus some neat bonus stuff). The Trades themselves are a thing of Beauty. They are both Hard Cover Collections, at Soft Cover pricing. Not only that, but the paper stock used for the pages within are second to none. To try to describe it here would be doing them injustice really.

i cannot recommend this book enough. i want this book to be read by as many people as possible. if you have any questions, please feel free to ask, as i love talking about this book (and any of the other great books that Matt has done)

Monday, October 14, 2013

The 2013 NYCC has come to an end. The sads have already set in, but that is normal, as it always happens to me after attending a big show.

Needless to say, i had a great time. it's really difficult NOT to have a great time when attending the NYCC. This was my second one, and it was
different then last year. How? you may ask. it's hard to explain i suppose. Last years NYCC was the first comic show that i had ever attended. i
was still so "green" when it comes to collecting comics. i had a lot to learn. still do. Thankfully we all are always learning some thing new at all
times really. thats one of the wonderful things about collecting. always learning something new.

This year, there were a handful of artists that were not going to be attending. initially i was a little bummed about this, but i understand that real
life gets in the way sometimes, it happens to everyone, thats the way it is. But that didnt mean that i wasnt going to make the best of it, it was
NYCC afterall!!!

Well, i think it all worked out for the best because i was able to spend so much time involved in great conversation with those that were there :)
There are bound to be people and things that i will unintentionally leave out of this re-cap. it is not intentional, it just happens.

OK, where to even begin.

The days prior to the show i was having trouble falling asleep due to the excitement of the show approaching. When it came to the night before
the show, i knew that sleep would not be an option. i left my house a little after 1am on Thursday morning, hoped on the 1:49 LIRR Train to
Penn Station. i arrived at Javits at approximately 3:15am. i was expecting to see people there hanging out when i got there, but i was the first
one there, nobody around. Still dark, not too cold, and relatively quiet for it being Manhattan and all. About an hour or so later, a cosplayer
arrived, and we waited around until slowly other people started to show up. it was about 7am before a bunch of people really started showing up.

They told us that they'd let us into the waiting que at 12 noon. not a shock that they lied, it was after 12:30. The show was to start at 3pm. This year
they came up with the "great" idea that all badge holders had to "tap in" to enter the show, and "tap out" to leave the grounds. Yes, that was as
dumb as it sounds. Of course, mine didnt "tap in" properly when they finally let us in, so my first in line was more like 30th when they finally got
my badge to work. i was pissed, but all they could do was say "sorry". ugh.

When the doors opened, we all rushed in like a pack of zombies. my first stop was the Skybound booth to secure some of the WD #1 B&W
NYCC Exclusive Variants, and to say hello to the staff that ive become friendly with over the year thanks to the twitter. Mission completed,
and it was then around the corner to the Image Comics side to pick up the East Of West Hardcover NYCC Exclusive, as well as some other
things that people asked me to pick up for them.

Then it was time to check out the main floor where there were corporate booths and dealers and such. Lots of comics and all types of collectables
to buy. Of course, lots of high prices on stuff, especially WD floppies! LOL no shock really. it is what it is. did that for a while, just to give the
artists that were in Artists Alley time to get set up, and settled in. Then it was time to head over to AA.

Last year, Artists Alley (AA) was a complete game changer for me. i didnt really know what it was all about, and when i learned, i was blown away.

This year, i learned that DC had given up their big fancy main floor booth, in favor of setting up at AA. that had me completely worried. i was worried
that DC would fuck up AA and exploit it, like the BigBloatedTwo like to do with everything else that is enjoyable. Thankfully i was wrong. DC had
an insignificant representation at AA, all the way in the back. infact i didnt even realize they were there until late friday, when i made my way all the
way to the back wall. good riddance.

Those that know me (and anyone reading this, really) know that the two people that i really wanted to meet most this year were Charlie Adlard (who
draws TWD) and Matt Kindt (The amazing Creator, Writer, Drawer, Colorer, Inker, Letterer of Mind MGMT).

Charlie lives in England and is sort of a big deal. Image brought him over just for this show, so i knew that getting to chat with him was just not going
to be possible. Turns out that i wasnt completely correct. i got to interact with him a little, but as much as could be expected given the situation.

i knew that Matt wasnt going to be setting up at AA until later in the evening, so it was time to check out who else was there. Just like last year, there
were PLENTY of people who i had no idea who they were, but thats ok, it happens lol. There were a lot of people set up and it seemed like there
were more artists set up then last year. Not a lot of "empty tables" which was nice, since it was Thursday and all. Speaking of which, this year NYCC
sold individual Thursday passes for the first time. This meant that there were a LOT of people at the show Thursday, and that was not more evident
then just seeing the crowd at AA. i will say that there were more people in AA Thursday evening this year, then there were Friday evening last year,
and thats saying something. i love how packed AA gets, as its all about the artists, and for the most part, smaller artists that are not getting rich from
"Big Two" work.

Last week or so, i came out with an idea of a new collecting focus when it comes to getting commissions that i am a fan of.

As you may or may not know, i am a huge Walking Dead Comic Book fan. Rick Grimes is my favorite character. For this Focus, Rick Grimes, i approach
the artist and ask them if they are doing commissions. if yes, i explain to them what i would like, and if they agree, then we move forward. Here is what
i require, just three things.

The rest is up to them. Whatever is in their mind, i'd love for them to translate it onto the blank comic page. if they are up to it, then i give them a
Walking Dead 109 blank, and pick it up when its finished.

The nifty name i came out for this? "The Grimey Grimes Project (GGP)" heh, i thought it was catchy.

Ok, well now it was time to see if anyone was interested in my GGP. First person that i recognized while walking around was Ryan Browne. Ryan
is the current artist for a book i like called "Bedlam". Ryan and i have talked before on the twitters, and when introducing myself he remembered.
We chatted for a bit and then i asked him about GGP and he said it sounded like a good idea. (yes!).

Then it was time to talk to other artists and see if they'd be interested in GGP. Some of the artists i met last year, some this year for the first time. Most
agreed to participate in the GGP, which i thought was awesome!

All in all i was about to add eight pieces to my GGP (one is being completed today and mailed to me)

ok, where was i ..... oh yea, then it was more walking around to see who else was there at AA. Again, so many, no need to mention them all by name.

Then it was time to see if Matt Kindt had gotten to his table at AA. indeed he had. he was all set up with his lovely wife, who was also amazing to chat with.
i love meeting great people in this hobby. i simply cannot even recall all the amazingness that Matt and i talked about. over the course of the four days i
would have to say that we chatted for at least two hours. it was so fantastic! i have so much respect for him, it was a true honor to meet him in person

Then it was time to wrap up day one and head to the LIRR to get home in time to grab literally a few minutes to shower, rest and return for day two.

Friday was day two. (a lot of what happened during day one was repeated each day, really) i got to Javits around 6am. The line wasnt too bad, couldnt
have been more then 200 people or so. By end of day Friday, i had some of my GGP's back in hand. Damn they were nice. i was showing them to friends
and other artists as well. all enjoyed what they saw.

Friday night i was able to get 80 minutes of sleep before heading into the city for Saturday. On Saturday i got to Javits at about 5:30 in anticipation of a
very long line. well, it wasnt. i was almost in the same exact spot as the morning before.

Saturday was, of course, packed. i was able to spend literally 30 minutes on the sales floor (10:00 - 10:30) before the crowds started POURING in like
blood from a freshly cut wound. CRAZY times indeed. i spent pretty much all day in AA on Saturday. Not that that meant that there wasnt anyone there,
because it was packed there as well. im sure attendance records were set this year. had to have been.

i was supposed to go to the Zombie Escape Walk on Saturday night, but i was far too tired to even think about it. i was home by 11pm-ish and was able to
get 6+ hours sleep before getting up to go to the last day of the show.

i got to Javits just a little after 10am on Sunday. LOTS of people awlking from the Penn Station area over to the show. i was surprised to see that i was
just about able to walk right in without much wait at the gate. There were already a ton of people inside, so getting around wasnt all that easy.

It was such a good time, it really was. Sucks that it had to come to an end. i was able to get home around 8pm last night and get ready for TWD Season 4 Premier.

Monday, August 5, 2013

As i type this, it is nearing 4:00am here in New York. My body is still on Central Time, thinking it's 3:00am. Reason being, this years National was held in Chicago.

Well, THE Show has come to an end. The collectors have gone home, as have the dealers. It's 51 weeks until The 2014 National. Yes, i am pretty sad as i am typing this.
Happened to me last year after Day Five was over, and i was back home in New York (it was in Baltimore last year).

Here is my personal 2013 National Experience.

As always, The Show runs from Wednesday through Sunday. Wednesday is "Preview Night" meaning the show runs from 4:00 until 8pm.
Friday through Saturday its 10-6, and Sunday is 10-5 VIPs are given access 30 minutes prior to the listed opening times above, which comes in handy if you are into
getting in line to grab the many different Promotional Proceeds going on from any number of the Corporate Sponsors.

On Wednesday i arrived early in the day due to travel plans having to work out properly. Met up with my friend and roommate for the week, got checked in, then headed
to the show.

This year was different. i didnt have a SOLID Focus going in, but i had an idea of what i would have liked to have started working on. When i hit the show floor for the
first time, i did not get that "punch drunk" feeling that i have gotten the last three times ive gone. it was a quiet calm, almost like something in me had changed. For the
worse or for the better i suppose will only reveal it's self as time goes by.

Almost immediately i started to see people that i hadn't seen since last years show. as i would meet them, we'd talk to each other like only days had gone by, not an entire
year. its kind of surreal really. We are all in a Fraternity, a Cardboard Collecting Fraternity. Its a wonderful thing. Ive met some wonderful people in this hobby over the
years, and The National has only strengthened the bond that we all share.

Then it was time to look around. i have pretty much given up on the Leaf Paige, opting for the Bowman instead. Also, i wanted to see if i could pick up nearly perfectly
centered graded copies of Pre-War Legends, specifically the First Five Guys that were elected into the HOF. (Cobb, Ruth, Wagner, Johnson, Mathewson), plus possibly
some of the other very well know Legends. The "catch" to this Focus is that the card has to be from when they were an active MLB Player first and foremost, there is no
exception to that particular rule. The other thing is that i prefer that the players card feature an action shot. When i say "Action" that pretty much means anything other
then a portrait, as there are not all that many options for cards of the time. That last rule is not all that strict, and can be changed by myself at anytime, especially if the
Portrait looks more like the player (literally) then the "Action" Shot. The last thing, and certainly not the least thing is that the card must have as close to dead centering
as possible.

Ok, so a mixture of all the days were spent like this.... Chatting, looking, chatting, looking, meeting new people, looking, chatting, introducing new people to old people,
going to Wrigley Field, looking, buying, chatting, looking, resisting the temptation to buy cards that do not fit into my new Focus, especially on the Centering aspect.

The first four days of the show were very well attended, there were a lot of people with all kinds of teams' jerseys, etc on. it was very nice to see a pretty good number of
young children not only there, but interested and enjoying the hobby.

After Saturday, all but three of us in the Fraternity had headed home, back to the "real world". i really do miss those sons-of-brilliant people! ;)

Sunday was disappointing as some of the dealers didnt even bother to show up, and most others started to trickle out after a few hours. by 2pm the place was pretty much
dead. Shortly thereafter i began to make my final rounds and say goodbye to my dealer friends, wish them safe travels and hope to see them again next year.

Onto my pickups (which im gathering, is the only reason that some people read these posts ;)

i did a LOT of walking around, searching for the cards that would qualify for my new focus. i was unable to find a Paige that was reasonably priced, so that hunt goes on.

Please pardon the large pictures, but i think they are better then no scans at all, eh? :)

The Gehrig is interesting as a good friend of mine was the one that found it, ON SATURDAY! i know, right? go figure. i looked and looked, and missed it each time.
(Also note that it is the #160, which is known to be more "rare" then the #92)

one other thing that i forgot to add. if you are ever in that area, like steak, and are able to eat at Gibson's Steakhouse, i cannot recommend it enough. yes, it is expensive,
but WOW it is simply amazing!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my recap. i hope i was able to express and share how enjoyable it was for me, and maybe convince those that have not gone to do so next year? :)

Saturday, June 8, 2013

its not from lack of wanting to, its from lack of time. been really busy with work. i do have some down time, but not enough to sit at a computer and write
up a proper blog. i spend a lot of time on Twitter. i highly recommend it. it really is like how AOL chat rooms were back in the 90's (for those of you that
were around then, that is lol). Its a nice challenge to try to say what youve got to say in 140 or (usually) less characters. its also a great way to talk to
comic book industry people. the format is really good for that type of thing. Look me up on there (if you dare! hah), ThoseBackPages .

I've been trying to come up with a way to "spread the word" when it comes to reading comic books, especially for those of us that are adults.

when i started reading comics again last year for the first time since the mid 80s, i kind of found my way around on my own. not that there is anything
wrong with that, but i wish i would have had someone to point me in more of a direction that i am in now, if that makes any sense.

"Comic Books"

most people hear that term and think .... Superman, Spiderman, Batman, XMen and the like. Maybe thats because that's what the media pushes as
the main idea what a comic book is. Marvel and DC Comics are "The Big Two" as far as comic book publishers go.
Maybe its time for that to change. The only way that can change is through spreading the word. The internet is a great way to do that.

Look, the "Big Two" are not going to go away, maybe not ever, but certainly not anytime soon.

i am here to tell you that there ARE alternatives, if that is something that you might be interested in. Not EVERYONE wants to read superhero books,
AND THAT IS "OK". Hell, *I* am one of those people. There is only one "capes" book that i read. ive blogged about it before (it's called Invincible),
so no need to go over all that again.

im here today to tell you that there are comic books to read and enjoy (and "collect" as well, if you so choose) that are not "superhero" books, and not
released by the BIG TWO.

There are a LOT of "independent" comic book publishers. they rely heavily on sales of comics, because they dont have tons of movies or Disney
backing them up financially.

But enough negativity. i want this blog post to be about how i can help spread the word. would it be easy enough for me to type out what i currently
read monthly, give you a synopsis of what each is about? sure, that would be easy enough, but there's not much fun in that. hell, you can google any
title i list, and boom! instant "reviews" from many sources.

What id like to do is offer to either send you some reader copies of select books i feel that you would like to read, or offer you some sort of paypal deal
if you pick them up yourself and do not care for them, to the point that you tell me "Eric, what is this shit? i HATE it!" ive done this one other time (last year)
and it went over well with people. Even the creators thanked me for doing so (not that that was the point of it, but it was nice to hear them say it)

In closing .... There are some great comic books out there that are not all about flying men punching buildings, with unlimited special abilities, kicking the
shit out of each other. There are comics that the characters die, and STAY DEAD permanently. There are books that are emotional, that are funny, that
are "real" (as real as can be, as these ARE comic books afterall, but you know what i mean).

There are comic books out there for adults, and when i say "adult" i dont mean porn. not that theres anything wrong with that either (and there ARE comics
for that purpose as well). What i mean is that there are comics out there that people over the age of 30 can (AND DO) enjoy.

THEY ARE OUT THERE PEOPLE, and with my help, i really hope i can help you discover and enjoy them!

Its time to put the stereotype that comics are for kids to bed once and for all!

So there it is. i want to get the word out there for the books that i love.

Let me know what you think.

Hit me up on Twitter (@ThoseBackPages) if you'd like to talk about this some more, shoot some ideas back and forth and such.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Today is my 42nd birthday. im really not sure where this blog post is going to go. like always, i had some ideas in my head, but theyve come and gone.To be honest, i never thought that i would make it to this age. at the same time, i generally do not FEEL my age, and most of the time i do not act it.

Life has gotten harder the last few months. i am changing. Maybe its the diabetes, maybe its just getting old. i dont heal like i used to, and i feel tired alot of the time. not much interests me anymore. i still love my job, but even that has changed. i still love baseball cards, but i feel as if they no longer feelthe same. my passion for comics is still there, but has cooled off a bit as well. 2012 was just so good overall as a year of collecting for me. 2013 is bound to be a letdown in that department. For the most part, that has held true.

im tired of the foods that i am able to eat. i wouldnt say that i "miss" the "bad" foods, but i just cant bring myself to eat them, no matter how much in my mind that i want to. it's been nearly 40 months now with this disease. i guess i can admit that it has me, i dont have it. in the beginning i was an activemember of a few of the diabetic message boards, three i think it was. now i barely belong to one. the changeover rate is so high, the people that werealso new when i signed up there about three years ago are no longer there, not at least when i pop myself in to say hello. sucks, but thats how it is with this disease. People come and go. People start out strong, then give in and say "fuck it", fall off the eating/exercising wagon. ive seen it happen.Hasnt happened to me yet though. i still follow the as-low-as-possible daily carb intake diet, and still get in my exercise daily, weather permitting.

i like to think im a nice person. i have flaws like everyone else. im self admittedly VERY stubborn. i still think i have knowledge to offer others, especiallywhen it comes to collecting cards and more with each passing day, comics. i like good conversation, but hardly find it anymore. i dont physically talk to very many people, everything is online nowadays.

well, this has been a rant of some sort i suppose. just wanted to type something. im not the type of person that wants the "birthday attention" and dontseek it out. hey, at least i thought up a catchy subject lol

Monday, March 18, 2013

i learned today that one of my favorite musicians died over the weekend. His name was Jason Molina and he was an alcoholic. He was just 39 years old. His organs seemed to have given out and he died of "natural" causes.

He wasnt a "famous rock star" to the masses, but he was to me.

i discovered his music about 10 years ago. After my fiance died in the summer of 2003, i spent the better part of 6 weeks not leaving the house. i returned to working at the record shop. it was there that a co-worker, after prodding him about wanting to listen to "something different", turned me on to Jason Molina's (and some other bands as well) music.

i fell immediately in love with the music. i was in a very dark place, and could relate totally to what Jason was singing. it was like he was speaking directly to me. it was that good.

i got to see the band play twice. i would have seen them more times, but they didnt get to New York City all that often. Each time, after the show (and once before one) i was able to have coversations with Jason (and Pete (the bassist)). it was just small chat, i told him how he helped me through the dark times after my fiance died, he was very humble and thankful that i was a fan of his. he came off as an everyday type of fellow that made music and was on the road for a living. the last time we spoke he had to cut it short because it was time for him to pack up the van and head to the next town.

for the better part of this year, ive been listening to his album "Didn't It Rain" as my music of choice to fall asleep to each night. if it wasnt Animals, it was Didnt It Rain. its been that way pretty much for the last six months or so.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

but yea, you really have to sometimes step back and take a look at what you've already got. cant spend all your time looking ahead to what you do not have yet. it just isnt the right way to go about things.

Having a Tight Collecting Focus can lead to "dry times" when things you want just arent available.
it's during those times that you have to STAY FOCUSED and wait it out. the thing to keep in mind is that there is always SOMETHING to collect, but keeping that Focus helps you maintain a level head (i suppose lol)

i guess i am writing because i am trying to talk myself out of something. theres a recently available WD cgc that i would like to own, but i feel is a bit overpriced. now, ive semi-imposed a tighter WD CGC Focus, unless the pricing is just too good to pass on. this book is not crazy priced, and it's relatively new. the thing is, the "print run" on it is 2000. that may seem like a lot, but it is, and it isnt. its somewhere in the middle.

im trying to finish 1 - 99 with the Keys and Variants in CGC Slabs. ive made good headway, but am not quite there yet. You'll notice i did not include #100. that is intentional. as of now, there are a crazy amount of variants to chase down. i am going to play the waiting game with these. the naysayers are saying that the comic "bubble" is going to bust. the sooner the better for me! :) thats when i'll pick those up. sooner of course, if a deal is available.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

you know when you hate being "right", because being right means that it's not a good thing? well, that is what has happened.

While sorting 2012 Topps Heritage MiLB cards, i noticed that Topps had "changed" the card stock used for the base cards. They felt a little glossy, and had lost that "old time" feel that releases prior had felt.

Then there was the 2012 Topps Heritage High Number debacle. The Card stock was the same as the MiLB, making it difficult to enjoy the base cards

Now after those two releases i pleaded with Topps to not use the same paper stock for 2013. We were assured that the 2013 Paper Stock would be like the past years.

Didnt happen. Sadly, this years card stock is bad. not all that much different then 2012 HH#

My blaster did not contain any "hits" worth mentioning. That doesnt matter, in all of the thousands of packs ive opened, ive never pulled a card more then $50 anyway. That was never the point of me ripping Heritage.

i loved ripping heritage because it was the closest thing to "old" cards that were on the market. Todays players portrayed in classic old Topps designs.

In an age when people are all about the "shiny" and the "MOJO HITS", Topps Heritage Base Cards could be counted on for those of us that used to open packs when it was all about the gum, friends, and memories tied to the game we loved.

Sadly, now Topps Heritage has lost it's luster.

i know, i know. Topps "added more" to the packs as far as "hits" go, but some of us (and i freely admit that the number of us is VERY small) don't care about those things.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

As someone that has collected sports cards for a very long time, i like to think i know what im talking about when i do talk about them.

As someone that is fairly new to collecting comics, i know i have a lot to learn.

In the card world, there are pretty clear "lines in the sand" for those that collect, particularly on the hardcore collecting side. "Old vs New". Those that love old, love it hardcore and vice versa.

Same "thing" seems to be the case in the comic world. Maybe its just me, and my new learning ways, but there seems to be a LOT more "disregard" for "Modern" collectors by those that choose to collect the old stuff.

i see it time and time again..... Someone paid WHAT for (new book here)? Hell, i could by (number here) (time period here) "Keys" for that kind of money!"

who cares? grow the fuck up and let those that want to buy what THEY WANT TO, buy it! That just means that they (most likely) wont be competing against you for those things that YOU WANT TO BUY.

Sure these same situations occur in the card world, but the venom just doesnt seem to be as vile.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

If you think about it, Comic Books really are pieces of art. They look nice in a frame, hanging on your wall. Not ALL covers, duh. But surely the ones that appeal to you. Same goes for "traditional" art, ya know :) and GENERALLY, cover price for a comic is $3. yep, three bucks for a piece of art. i absolutely love it.

When it comes to a comic being collectable, they sure can be. No, not ALL of them, but some sure do appreciate in "value". But never confuse the two. This is no longer the 1990's (i know, sigh if you'd like) and owning PERFECT MINT AWESOME copies of the latest, greatest NUMBER ONE ISSUE(!) doesnt mean that you're grandkids are going to strike it rich. That's just not how it is. COLLECT long enough, and you'll know what im saying.

Coming from a card collecting background into the comic collecting world last year, i learned a lot of things. what i love about hobbies is that its an ongoing learning process, always learning, always appreciative to learn and hopefully help others in the same way.

One glaring difference (there are MANY) between collecting comics and cards is the way that they are distributed. Comics are generally sold through LCS' (Local Comic Shops) as well as online shops. Cards are distributed the same way really, but the big difference is that at pretty much any time i can open an "old" pack of cards and pull a rookie card of whomever i am trying to get. Sure its not the most "sane" way to go about it, but it IS possible. For comics, there is no such thing. Just not the way it works.

As of this typing, one of the hottest books in the market is SAGA. No shock there as anyone that knows me knows that ive stood on my soapbox and screamed that for the better part of the last 7 months or so. Anyway, Issue #1 is now in the $100 area. Cover price was, you guessed it, three bucks. The only way to get one now is to go to the secondary market and buy one (or more ;). there are no "packs" that were made that you can buy and pull a Saga #1. Will it maintain "value"? who the hell knows? that isnt the point.

Next time you're in an area where there is a comic shop, do yourself a favor, go in and have a look around. Sure the staff might fill every stereotype youve ever heard, but so what? MOST of them are nice people, shy perhaps, but willing to share what they know.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Now that 2013 is in full swing, i think its about time that Marvel and DC wake up and realize what people in todays world are about.

i will freely admit that i do not support Marvel floppies in any way. i cannot see spending $4 for something that is printed on paper stock that feels like Scotts Toilet Tissue and on top of that, is littered with adverts IN THE MIDDLE of the story. WHo goes to the movies and expects to see adverts in the middle of the show?

anyway, Marvel needs to wake up and realize that todays comic book reader, regardless of age, sees and interacts with people that swear, are mean, are evil, kill people, are violent, etc. When is the last time Peter Parker told someone to "fuck off!"? now im not saying that it needs to be 23856 times an issue, but how about making the character a little more realistic?

While im at it, how about coming out with some titles that are NOT fucking super-heroes? would that be so bad? i enjoy reading books that are not all about superheroes, books that are somewhat about real, everyday life.

Monday, January 14, 2013

i hope everyone had a safe holiday season. Baseball is just around the corner, Football is winding down, and The Walking Dead & SAGA! are on FIRE!

i hope more people start reading Image Comic releases, they are awesomeness!

meanwhile, Marvel and DC continue to put their comics out on the worst fucking possible paper stock they can find. Holding their books is like handling a 3-ply roll of toilet paper (and lets not even discuss what the content is like! LOL)

ok, enough rambling. Wanted to blog today, so here it is.

Maybe this year i'll blog more about TWD and SAGAH! yea, its SAGA, but its funny to just say SAGAH!

i have to address something ... My third favorite comic book ... Revival. Unfortunately my uber-excitement for this book is somewhat diminished by a certain fuckbag comic book snake oil-salesman slinger in the New England Area. His program is going to be re-releasing the FIRST TWELVE issues. mind you, issue #1 came out last JULY. his version will be out next week. fucking a. But Eric, you LOVE additional printings! yea, that's true, but i also like them because they are available for less then cover price. Sadly these wont be. oh well.